The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-09-03
Speech of L.. E. McComas.

Speech of l.. E. McCOmas.
On taking the chair to preside over
the deliberations of the State Conven-
ton last week, Hon. l., E. McComas
said:
MY fellow Republicans, as it is
your wish l am here at your service,
and thank you for the honor of pre-
siding over Republican convention
so representative, harmonious and
earnest, full gathering from all over
the State, with only one contest, anX-
ious about the contest of 1887, COM
mending to any of our brethren who
are anxious about 1888 a study of the
almanac, as this fight is for 1888. At
ter % years of Democratic rule in
Maryland. the people of the State are
looking to this convention with an
earnest desire that it will nominate
for the highest three Offices in the
State three straightforward Repub-
Leans, whose character shall be a
guarantee of pure elections and hon
est government. Citizens have been
too Gallons about elections. They
know the fight this year is to have
an honest election and honest count.
Before US is the State ticket and the
duty to vote on the subject of con-
stitutional convention. Years and
long years I haye hOped that the day
might come when Maryland might
have better constitution. Now we
fear that the party which is in pow
er might make the convention and
the constitution far worse than it is
now. | find them too anxious to
strike down the judiciary of the State
and this city, which has been the only
redeeming feature of the State.
These twenty-five years have not
been prolific of such good legislation
as that those now in power should be
entrusted with the framing of new
constitution. They have been bar
rem of good legislation. The oyster
interests have been steadily declin-
ing, when they should have been fos-
tered. The agricultural interests
groan under increased burdens
brought about by unequal taxation
and freedom of favored capital from
taxation. The canals, the dream of
Washington and statesmen, have
rotted under political management,
and are threatened with speedy de-
structiOn. AT time when States in
the East are trying to revive and en-
courage the canals, and when other
people have determined that there
must be an end of the death of inter-
nal ways and of their falling into the
hands of railroad companies. there
has been permissive silence while
the great railroad has been strangling
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, I'M
Ill it is likely, under a foreclosure
sale, to fall into the hands of some
railroad. / am reminded that in re-
gard to to the public schools, white
and colored schools apart, there has
been such an unjust discrimination
against the colored schools that when
the Blair education bill becomes
law-as it Will do under the Repub-
lican auspices-as our present school
laws do not grant absolute and equal
justice to white schools and colored
schools, that we cannot receive the
benefits of national aid intended for
all the children of toll and poverty
throughout the nation. Maryland
has retained upon the statues of slav-
cry days an insult to colored citizens
and premium upon immortality
with colored women. Why should |
elaborate upon these things, which
have been neglected for years How
far behind are we in the matter of the
labor of women and children in the
matter of the aduteration of drugs,
&c. But you cannot legislate when
the fountains of legislation are cor
rupted at the registration and ballot
box. Everybody proclaims loudly
that the legislature at Annapolis has
been degraded by the sale of legisla-
tion, that the larceny of bills intend
cd for the people is no unknown
thing in legislation. l remember one
bill intended for the benefit and safe